Flame of Black Fire
by audsome
Summary: Soujiro does an unthinkable act against Shishio. Yumi and Kamatari will not forgive him for this, they plot revenge but their differences may prevent them from succeeding. Will Soujiro ever get punished?
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: One day, I wondered what Soujiro would be capable of doing if he saw any weakness or flaw in Shishio and then this idea came to me.

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**Flame of Black Fire  
**

**Chapter 1**

"Soujiro what do you propose we do about the Kawacana Band? Soujiro! Hey, Soujiro! Where are you?" Shishio called out. He didn't notice that Soujiro had left during their meeting with Houji.

Houji looked uncertainly around the room, he didn't really like Soujiro but he was needed if Lord Shishio was to take over the whole of Japan. Also, that boy had a tendency to appear out of no-where. At the worst of times too. "Maybe he just, a, wanted to complete the tasks you set out for him to do, Lord Shishio."

Shishio shrugged and turned back to Houji, "I hope you do too, Houji. This is very important."

"Yes! Of course Lord Shishio! I'll get to it," he obeyed submissively. He scurried off leaving Shishio to his privacy. But he wasn't alone. He was never completely alone anymore. Soujiro may be his right hand man but Yumi _was_ like his right hand. She never left his side.

"Come lie down," Yumi purred into his ear leading him over to their private quarters.

Shishio liked all the attention but he quickly remembered that he had arrangements to make. People to kill. A nation to capture. And most importantly a predecessor to defeat. "Ah, but I can't Yumi," Shishio told her reluctantly. "I need to find my sword. Do you by chance know where I put it?"

Yumi looked gloomy, but was happy Shishio still found that she could be useful. "You mean that sword that you're letting Soujiro use? It's in his room." She informed him giving him a massage now that he wasn't leaving right away.

"No, not that one. The one that I am going to use against the Battousai." He looked around the room. Sometimes there were swords and other favorite weapons lying about but it seemed today he wouldn't be lucky.

When he had said that Yumi quickly moved away from him. Busying herself with her off-the-shoulder kimono. "Yumi? What did you do with my sword?" He commanded.

She looked hopelessly at him. "You know as well I do what the doctor said! You should at least listen to him out of anybody!"

"Yumi, I will defeat Himura before anything could happen to me," he reassured her, now it was his turn to massage her. He closed his eyes tightly, thinking of how he could get her to give him back his sword. He didn't want to lose Yumi. She was the only stability he had in his life. She was the only one he wanted to satisfy his lust. He didn't love her. He couldn't love her. Love was for the weak. He, Shishio Makato, was not weak. "Yumi..."

"Hmm..." She was lulled by the spell his hands had her under.

"Where. Is. My. Sword."

Yumi's eyes snapped open as she stood up. "Lord Shishio-"

"Lord Shishio?" He repeated mockingly. "Now, Yumi. Where is my sword?"

Soujiro was sorry he had to miss that last of the meeting with Lord Shishio and Houji but he had to visit the bathroom. He could always ask Houji what the final decision was anyways. He turned the direction he was going and headed off to Shishio's room. Soujiro had a question that only Lord Shishio could answer and it was imperative that it was answered before he left on to fulfill one of the errands that he was needed to do.

As he neared Shishio's room he heard yelling. "Shishio never yells and by the sounds of it to Yumi. What could have gotten him so worked up?" Soujiro asked himself out loud. "Should I?" He answered his question by walking up to the half open door that let out every word of Yumi and Shishio's conversation.

"NO!" Shouted the normally docile Yumi.

Then came a growl from what sounded like Shishio but could have also been from Yumi. Soujiro couldn't tell.

"You will tell me now!" Shouted Shishio.

Soujiro was perplexed at the argument he found himself hearing. Yumi never said no to Shishio, she always agreed to everything. Even if it was a little... absurd. And Shishio never, under any circumstances yelled, or even slightly raised his voice at her. Something definitely was up but Soujiro did not want to get in the middle of it.

"Shishio! Don't tell me you will go against your doctor's orders! He specifically mentioned no-"

"Don't you think I'm aware of what he said? I was there. I know about my limitations even before he confirmed it for everyone else!"

Soujiro never was one to eavesdrop, but he was thoroughly intrigued now. He listened harder, detecting their movements in the room.

"Shishio! How can you hope to defeat the Battousai in your state? And in less than fifteen minutes?"

"Do you think that I am weak? I'll show you, Woman!" Shishio spat out. Soujiro could feel the hatred, and annoyance seeping through the door. "Give me my sword back now!"

"No!" Yumi cried out.

Soujiro felt her running to the door so he pulled himself back just as she burst from the door barely keeping her long elegant kimono from tripping her.

"Get back here WOMAN!" Demanded Shishio as he raced after her. He made it to the door before he noticed Soujiro. "Hey! Soujiro! Bring Yumi back." He demanded returning to his room.

He left Soujiro standing in the hall alone to think things over. Soujiro for the first time did nothing to comply with his master's ill advised wants. "Lord... Shishio... has a... breaking point? What did Yumi mean?" He thought again out loud to himself.

Soujiro remembered the strangest thing that Lord Shishio had told him long ago when they first met.

_In this world, the flesh of the weak is the food of the strong. The strong live, the weak die. No matter how hard you smile, you can't run from the truth. _

"Where did that come from?" He wondered his smile faltering for a second. Then it came to him. Something that terrified him, his smile now completely off his face. "In this world, the flesh of the weak is the food of the strong." He repeated the words that had been engraved in his mind, in his soul forever. "The strong live, the weak die. I never wanted to admit to myself that Lord Shishio was weak. How could I? He has taught me all that I know?" He was lost. The only meaning that he had in his life was now thrown out. "Shishio..."

Soujiro's mind was reeling everywhere. "Shishio has... become strong through me," he realized. All that Shishio has had been directly and indirectly obtain by him. "I can't run from the truth any longer."

Soujiro walked to Shishio's room and silently as was his nature opened the door. He took in all his surroundings. There was a well-worn but still useful sword to his right. Shishio was sitting at his desk a few yards in front of him still unaware that any one had entered his room. He picked up the sword and walked over to Shishio. His emotions were conflicting with what he thought -no- _knew _to be the truth of the world.

_The strong live, the weak die. _

As Soujiro pulled up the sword Shishio looked back, "Soujiro, what are you-"

Blood sprayed everywhere as he sliced Shishio's head off with one swift but powerful swing. But not a single drop landed on Soujiro. He didn't like to get stained with the blood of others while Shishio reveled in the blood he drew of others. Shishio told him he was like the Battousai in that way.

"In this world, the flesh of the weak is the food of the strong. The strong live, the weak die. No matter how hard you hide, you can't run from the truth." Soujiro told the lifeless form before him.

He felt Yumi approaching before she came in but couldn't leave the site for there was only one way out. He turned around to meet her. She came in with the sword that Shishio wanted. She froze in the doorway as she saw the blood, her headless lover and its head on the ground.

"Shishio!" She yelled as she ran over to it. "You monster!" She cried.

Soujiro ignored her comment, cleaned off the blade and left the room.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Shishio? How could that boy do this to you?" Yumi cried out madly as she cradled Shishio's limp form on her lap. She was lying in a pool of his blood, staining her elegant kimono. "You told me you had every thing under control! How could that Soujiro do this?"

She lifted herself off the slick floor. "I must hide you," she said to herself. She looked around the room for a place to do it. Then remembered that there was a trap door underneath the bed that only she knew about. The other person that knew is now dead! She thought bitterly.

She walked over to the foreign designed bed and knelt down beside it. She reached under it near the foot of the bed. She felt the string that would lead her to it. Pulling on it lead her to the middle of the floor under the king sized bed. There was a foot between the bed's bottom and the floor, that's where she lay. Groping the floor Yumi found the outlines of the trap door. She dug her nails into the crack. She pulled at it with all of her strength. As it lifted she changed hr grip on it, her hands sweating from the heaviness. Finally, it was lifted up to the highest it could be under that bed and shoved it off to the side.

She slid out from the bed, grabbed a linen off it and ran to Shishio. She wrapped his body up in the clean linen from the bed. Then she towed him under the bed with great difficulty. The linen got soaked from the blood and when she dragged it over to the bed it smeared blood all over the floor.

Underneath the bed Yumi crawled into the trap hole. She slowly pulled Shishio into it. She had half of his body inside of it when the rest came toppling in after her.

Yumi lay on the cold ground exhausted. Shishio's body weighed more than she could carry. She would need help. But who? Then, realization dawned on her. Any one she got to help her had to be devoted to Shishio as much as she was.

Yumi left his body there as she crawled out of it. She slid the cover back on and ran to the door. Peeking out of it she saw that there was no one around. She ran into the hallway and to her room. She got to it quickly with no one spotting her and with her spotting no one. She would be asked unwanted questions if anyone saw her.

Inside she ran over to the adjacent bathroom, threw off her clothes and started scrubbing at herself with the water in the water basin. When finished she ran to her closet and chose out one of her less elegant kimonos. She didn't have time to have some one come over and help her put it on. After hastily throwing it on she got out her perfumes. She chose the one that could cover up smells the most and put it on thickly. She did her hair up in a simple bun and threw some jewelry on. Then she hastily drew on her make up.

She hid her bloodstained kimono and left her room. She walked slowly to Houji's study. When she arrived at his study she knocked three times on the door.

"Come in," Houji yelled through the thick doors.

Yumi opened one of the huge doors and stepped in quietly. "Hello Houji."

He lifted his head up from his work to observe her walking around his room fingering everything in it from the paintings on the walls to the guns he had as trophies.

He returned to his eyes work but his focus was still on Yumi. "What did you come here for?"

"I can't come visit you?" She asked. It wasn't in her not to toy with Houji. She let out s soft laugh.

"I'm busy Yumi. What can I do for you?"

"Your no fun," she said pouting. "Has Kamatari arrived yet?"

Houji looks briefly her way, "yes. Kamatari arrived about thirty minutes ago. He's in the lounge."

"Thank you Houji," she whispered leaving the room.

He hiked up her kimono, revealing her legs and began running to Kamatari. She was tired and out of breath by the time she reached the doors to Kamatari. She let go o her kimono and smoothed out the wrinkles that had formed from hr tight grip on it. She steadied her breathing. The door opened easily enough, now for the difficult part.

Inside the room there was only one person. Kamatari. That would help a lot. He was sitting in an armchair next to the fireplace drinking tea. He looked her way as she walked to a couch on the opposite side of the room and sat down leisurely. Kamatari went back to drinking his tea, he picked up a book that was on a table next to him and stated reading. On the table lay a shinny scythe with a chain on it. Kamatari continued to read the book, seemingly oblivious to Yumi watching him.

The clock on the mantel above Kamatari on the mantelshelf chimed as one hour passed and another became.

"What are you doing her Yumi?" Kamatari inquired gently closing the book and laying it back on the table.

Yumi starred at openly at Kamatari, surprised that he had been the one to speak first. "Talking to me are we? I thought you were mad? And not ever again speaking to me?" She said speaking of their last meeting. She and Kamatari and gotten into a little fight and blew up in each other's face.

Kamatari sat unfazed by what was spoken. "Oh come on now, Yumi. Don't play games with me." His lean body stood up from sit seat. He lifted his scythe from its resting place and placed it over his shoulders. The chain dangled over the end. He walked over to Yumi. She masked her shock under a blank gaze.

"No more games? Kamatari, you should come with me. I have something very important to tell you-"

"If you have-"

"I'm sorry that I said that before!" Yumi interrupted. "We need to go to a place where we can be alone and talk." She said lowering her voice dramatically but not enough that Kamatari would have to lean closer to hear. Or, enough for some one to take notice. "Follow me please." A wide-eyed Kamatari followed Yumi out of the lounge.

The sun was setting behind the hills that surrounded them as Yumi and Kamatari set out to find a place of solitude. The walls echoed their footsteps down the corridor that was desolate of any furnishings. Every now and then there were two doors on either side of the corridor. They reached an intersection; only one of the corridors was bright enough to see in. The other two's candles lay unused in their light fixtures. The corridor on their left without any light had a cold draft coming from it. They had been walking for nearly an hour now and showed no signs of stopping any time soon.

Kamatari stopped where he was, "Yumi! Where are you taking me? If you have anything to say then say it to me now!"

"I guess this is far enough," Yumi said turning to look at him. "We'll just go to the first room that's on our right then. It where we need to go any way."

They walked as far as that. Then entered the room that surprisingly had its candles lit. There were two armchairs facing each other set near the back of the room. Yumi walked over to them, sat down and motioned for Kamatari to do the same. He sat down slowly resting his scythe that he had dragged along with them across his knees. He sat patiently for Yumi to explain herself.

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AN: This is not solely based on Soujiro or him wandering. This will also be about Yumi and Kamatari seaking revenge against him. 

I apologize for the characters being OOC. That's how they'll be throughout this fic.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Soujiro found himself wandering around outside, lost in a world he didn't recognize. He had nowhere to go, and now place to turn to having cut all ties when he joined Shishio. He had been wandering around in the woods ever since he had done it. After he had destroyed the seemingly invincible man. Buy he would have to find some shelter soon because the sky threatened rain. His feet led him through the trees at a swift pace, passing landmarks that sparked his memory. A few more feet and he found himself at a cabin that also looked familiar. Soujiro froze fixated at the cabin, grasping for the memories of the cabin but they eluded him.

Thick bushes and trees surrounded the cabin on all sides, except where the door was. A few feet on either side of the door had been cleared of all undergrowth recently. The roof of the cabin was covered in vines that wrapped every inch of it in green. The covering seemed intentional so that no one would stumble upon it, whoever hacked off the coverage of the door, must not find it important to cover it anymore. There was no ki emanating from inside the cabin to announce another's presence, but Soujiro was never good at that sort of thing. He walked around, inspecting the cabin.

The rain started with Soujiro still standing in front of the cabin. At first it came down in a light drizzle. Then it got heavier, blocking out anything else in the world. Soujiro was soaked through. He moved forward to the door, pausing with his hand hovering over the doorknob. The rain pelted down harder giving him no choice but to go inside to take shelter.

He closed his eyes and leaned back against the door. The cabin and all the contents inside, as it turned out, are not familiar. It was just his mind playing tricks on him. His shoulder collected water as rain leaked through the door. Walking further inside, Soujiro noticed that the cabin had been stripped of anything useful. He would soon have to leave it and continue on. After rummaging around he found a futon with a few too many holes to give much warmth for protection.

Digging through once more, Soujiro found a blanket with just as much holes if not more than the futon. He decided it was as good for one night and laid it out on the floor. Water dribbles off a shelf and onto his head; there was a leak in the roof above the shelf.

Soujiro smiled at the leak, "I can't do anything about you, all I can do is put a bucket under you and hope the water won't spread." Remembering that he saw a pot near the door he headed that way. It was a small pot that would have to be changed every couple of hours if the rain wouldn't let up. The hole in the ceiling wasn't directly over the shelf, for the pot to catch the water it had to be hanging off the shelf. He scanned above for more leaks but in the fading light he couldn't see a thing.

He groped his way through the mess back to the ragged futon. He sat down in the middle of it and hugged his legs to his chest, resting his head on top of his knees. The smile fading slowly off his face as his memories of Shishio drifted to the front. Tightening his chaw he threw himself backwards to lie on his back, forcing his smile to stay. Water splashed onto his forehead from the ceiling. It slid down to his nose, branching off into his eyes, and then slowly sliding down his cheeks. Then another drop feel, taking the same rout down his face as the other one.

The water slid down his cheek again and again, until Soujiro clasped his head in his hands, rubbing the water off. He pulled himself and the futon out from under the leak. He calmed down, evening out his breath. He soon fell asleep...

He slowly opened his eyes, he could see out of his right eye and the other was badly swelling, he could barely see the dirt beneath him. He tried lifting his arm, wincing at the pain. He pulled his tender limbs into himself, curling into a ball of pain. He rolled onto his side, off of his back because of the slashes on it from the whip. Elder Bother had been particularly unmerciful tonight after he had visited the gambling dens. He had yelled at him, telling him his problems as he beat him into the ground.

Footsteps neared him, stopping next to his head. A hand reached out, catching a handful of his hair in it and pulled him up. "Soujiro! You filthy brat, stand up!"

He threw Soujiro against the wall of the rice shed. Soujiro fell onto his knees, supported by his hands and coughed up some blood. He shook his head, clearing it of the sting and the tears that fell. Leaning back against the shed Soujiro looked up to his elder brother and smiled.

His brother slapped him with the back of his hand, his lip crack and bled. "You aren't even worth my time," he spit out, walking drunkenly back to the house.

Soujiro touched his swelling cheek, and winced as the light touch brought pain. Supporting himself with the side of the large rice shed, he painstakingly made his way to its door. He laid down inside, he wouldn't be able to go inside for a while, until Older Brother's anger died down. He had gone to gamble and lost most of his money, and then he had gotten drunk and lost the rest of it. Soujiro happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Soujiro cried out in pain as the wind cut through his tattered clothes, biting into his wounds. The wind howled as it beat against the sides of the rice shed, trying to get in. Soujiro found a space between a barrel and another where the wind didn't reach, it was surround on three sides by the barrels, and on the other was the wall. He huddled there, temporarily protected from the pain the wind caused.

Soujiro woke up startled. He lifted his hand to brush against his cheek. It wasn't bruised. His hand traced his bottom lip. No blood. It was a dream, nothing more. He couldn't see anything, it was still night and morning had a long way to come. He wouldn't be able to get to sleep after that, and leaving early before the morning sun was more favorable to him. He folded the futon and return it to the place he found it.

He looked up to the stars, finding one that would point him in the right direction. It would be useless to go on without any money for an inn or for food. He would have to go back to Mount Hiei and get the money that he has there. It will be easy to get in and out without being spotted, the only people that could notice him were long gone, and even if they did they could do nothing against him. And besides, Yumi most likely didn't tell any one about Shishio's condition yet.

Soujiro headed back to the Mount Hiei.

"What! Are you serious? How could this be true? It's all lies!" Kamatari screamed at Yumi. He had lost his composure somewhere in the middle of Yumi's story but he had held his silence waiting for Yumi to laugh in his face and say that he was a gullible fool. Kamatari collapsed, falling to his knees on the cold tile floor.

The room was silent, Yumi taking in Kamatari's reaction, wondering if it was wise of her to tell Kamatari. Then she saw that his grief, his disbelief, turned into anger. A good sign that he would be weak and drag her down with him. His hands curled into white knuckled fists.

"What will you do Kamatari?" Yumi asked coolly. She was pleased with herself for not breaking down during the duration of her account. "Will you help me? It won't be easy, Lord Shishio always said that Soujiro was the strongest of the Joupongatana."

Kamatari's eyes shot up to Yumi's, his fierce eyes taking in her cold ones. He stood up, one hand holding up his chain-scythe the other hanging loosely by his side. His face was unreadable, the opposite of his usual passionate self. "I will do all that I can, for Lord Shishio's sake."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

The faint light in the room cast dim shadows along the walls and the furniture that adorned the room. Dying red coals, the last of a once livid fire, let the cold creep up unaware on the inhabitant of the room. Houji sat at his large desk, up to his elbows in documents and the like. He had become bothered by the deal with an unknown merchant from China about the iron ship Lord Shishio had wanted to purchase. The deal had been going rotten from the beginning. Nothing he could solve, he would have to find Shishio to straighten out matters. 

Houji was tired from lack of sleep and the mess the problems with the deals negotiation. He hadn't slept since yesterday, and had stayed up all night looking at the same problem after he had dealt with the Kawacana Band that had interfered with earlier missions. He rubbed his temples as he remembered the patients and delicate planning that had all been for not when the bandits of the Kawacana Band had destroyed precious resources.

Placing the documents back in their places on the desk, Houji stood up to leave his study when he noticed the chill in the air. He shivered, pulling his coat closer to his chest. Deciding that he'd find Shishio in his practice room he headed off in that direction. The clicking of his western style shoes were the only sounds echoing off the walls.

Houji stopped in front of Lord Shishio's arsenal he fought up the audacity to charge in. Shishio never liked someone watching him handle his swords unless he was using it against another human being; being interrupted by a bothersome detail wasn't something that would help with the temper that he sometimes showed. Houji slid his hand over the doorknob, he opened the door before he thought to and found someone other than Shishio the weapon room.

In front of a rack of the most impressive of Lord Shishio's weaponry was Seta Soujiro. He threw his back his head to look over his shoulder the moment Houji opened the door, he had an almost startled look the way his mouth was slightly agape but he recovered, closing as soon as Houji was inside. Soujiro was kneeling in front of the sword rack, holding a wakazashi in his hand hovering over an empty space. Houji couldn't tell if he was taking it or returning it, but whatever he was going to do he placed it on the rack.

Houji noticed the sorry state of Soujiro's clothes, guessing that he must be returning from an arduous mission of lord Shishio's.

"Hello Houji," Soujiro stood up, dusting himself off. "I was just, uh, looking for Mr. Shishio but he doesn't seem to be here."

Nodded his head as if he already knew that. "Would you like to accompany me in seeking Lord Shishio, Soujiro?"

Soujiro shifted under Houji's question, "eh, no. It isn't that important. I'll talk to him later."

With that Soujiro brushed past Houji disappearing out the door.

Curious about the wakazashi, Houji walked over to inspect the weapon that Soujiro had held. He respectful picked it up from its resting place and pulled it out slowly from its sheath. The blade looked to be old, maybe ten years or more of hard use. It didn't seem to fit in with the other, more exquisite of Lord Shishio's sword collection. Houji put aside his ponderings, doing the same with the wakazashi.

Houji soon departed from the room with one backward glance back at the short sword, then continued on his way. There were countless guards stationed at various outlets of the corridors that Houji walked, they would have taken notice of Lord Shishio if he had passed them by, but he couldn't bring himself to ask them. It would, he figured, make him look a little less professional, that would lead to disobeyed orders. Also, it would seem he was disorganized and that would lead to loss of respect. Houji refrained from that course of action.

Houji was taken by surprise at the appearance of both Yumi and Kamatari walking closely together. Those two could never stand to be in each other's presence for long.

Houji figured one, maybe both, would know where Lord Shishio was. A slight change in his direct and he was walking towards the pair.

Kamatari followed closely behind Yumi who had taken it upon herself to direct them in their proceedings. Kamatari wore a scowl on his smooth face, telling himself that it would look suspicious if they were seen un-angry, or at least bothered, in the others presence. The set of Yumi's bare shoulder's told him that she was stressed and deep in thought to carry on any charade.

Truth was, Kamatari wasn't holding any grudge against Yumi to incite his anger, this moment anyway, and was only scowling because he was still wearing his travel stained close from yesterday. That anger was also a brief barrier of protection against breaking down now that the adrenaline of last night evaporated with the moon.

"Where on earth are you dragging me to? Yumi! If you won't answer that than what about this: We, alone, are no match for Soujiro! We won't be able to find him." He was silent for a moment, waiting for a response that never came. "You know what we must do, don't you? We have to get another ally, another member of the Juppongatana will do just fine!"

"We can't afford to waste time now."

He shook his head in annoyance. "It won't be a waste of time, we don't even know how much time we have before Soujiro's trail is lost! If you don't want to then I will! With or without your help." Kamatari said the last with a hush, as if it would be blasphemy to announce going against her wishes.

"Do what ever you want, just don't let it get in the way of what _is _important, okay, Kamatari?" Yumi looked to Kamatari for the curt nod of agreement.

Kamatari rested a finger against his chin in thought, and then out of the corner of his eye saw Houji approaching them.

"What about it Yumi? Do you want to leave?" Kamatari said in a suave voice.

"What are you talking about Kamatari?"

"I see that you two aren't getting along," Houji said, interrupting any un-pleasantries that might have been spit out of Yumi's lips like venom. "Do any of you know where I can find Lord Shishio?"

"I'm sorry, Houji, I don't know Lord Shishio's exact location at this moment."

Houji looked expectantly to Kamatari, "I just arrived last night, I don't know yet."

Houji looked a disappointed, "Okay." He walked away without another word.

Kamatari watched him go. He feeling a little like there was something he was missing, something important. "Hey, Yumi, what would you say about Houji?"

"Houji?" She sounded confused.

Kamatari sighed; realization that she had already forgotten their earlier conversation hit him like a ton of bricks, making his already weary spirit bend in exasperation. "How would you feel about telling Houji about Lord Shishio's condition?"

"Houji? You'd tell _Houji_? I don't know how he would react to it, but it might not be good. It most certainly won't be good." Yumi stopped to stare at Houji's back as he disappeared down another corridor. "Maybe as a last resort... if you want."

Yumi turned suddenly on her heel, leaving Kamatari behind her; he had to rush to catch up. They walked in an awkward silence. They stopped at Yumi's quarters, starring at each other not vet not actually taking in what they saw.

"You should get some rest," Kamatari told her, looking at the ground. "I'll come back in a couple of hours."

She smiled thankfully then entered her room, Kamatari watched her go inside, and when the door clicked shut he let out a breath that he didn't know he had been holding. He stood there a moment to collect his thoughts before he went about making some preparations that could not be held off any longer. Then he remembered that they might no longer be necessary now that Lord Shishio is now out of commission, but his sense of duty told his that they were important.

His weary muscles screamed for the attention that hadn't been spared them last night. He tried fighting the urge for sleep, his body soon won. Kamatari found himself in his own private quarters. He rested his scythe near the queen sized European bed then fell face first into the covers, not bothering with changing his or covering himself in blanket or sheet.

After leaving Houji and the wakazashi behind, Soujiro hastily went to his own room as quickly as he could. Being seen back here, back in Mount Hiei, didn't seem right to him. And the faster he got his belongings together the quicker that he could be one his way.

His room hadn't changed. It was the same as it ever was. Not that he expected it to look any different, but it felt as though it should have changed. A silly thought, one that he hastily brushed off as he started towards his wallet and some other belongings he would need on the road. His wallet fit comfortably in his hands. He picked up his favorite katana, one of two that was kept in his room, and placed it on his belt.

He stopped in front of his bed. His old bed, one that he would never use again. Soujiro smiled at that thought. He walked over to it, trailing his hand over the warm bedding that would be more comfortable than any hayloft or even any inn that he would ever stay at. He yawned as his thoughts turned to the next time he would ever sleep in a European bed. He hadn't used a futon in what felt like ages.

Then he remembered last nights horrible sleep in that dank cabin somewhere on Mount Hiei. His back ached just by thinking about it. Another yawn escaped from his lips, he must have not gotten as much sleep as his body needed.

"Napping here won't be that bad," he reasoned to himself as another yawn escaped unhindered.

Soujiro removed his katana from his belt to lean it against the nightstand near his bed. He laid his wallet on top of the same nightstand.

Before hopping into the bed he looked down at his travel-stained clothes. His hakama and gi had pieced of dirty etched into the crevices, if he were to sleep in the bed with it one it would cake off into it. Soujiro decided that it wouldn't matter if the bed got dirty or not, he would never use it again. He crawled onto the bed, on top of the covers. The covers would make the bed too inviting. He might sleep longer than he should if he were to sleep in them.

Soon rest found him, his cheerful façade slipping off as he in turn slipped off into the world of dreams.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

_"Get out of here boy!"_

A crescent of a moon shown down on the restless signs and flags, Soujiro paddled his way through the snow-covered streets of the main market place. All the bustle of business and customers had left the marketplace a couple of hours ago. No one would see the bruised and bloody boy that walked with an almost drunken gait. His small feet left bloody footprints in the snow.

Snow drizzled down, catching in his sweat-matted hair. He collapsed to his knees, one hand out to catch him the other clutching his chest. Small, choked coughs echoed throughout the closed market. The coughing left him gasping for breath.

Moving backwards to rest on his shins, Soujiro wiped the spit and sweat from his face. He pushed forward, stumbling to his feet. The drunkenness of his gait was his sprained ankle refusing to move properly. With the knowledge that he wouldn't last much longer, and the threat of death if anyone found him alive, Soujiro headed for an alleyway that most likely wasn't used.

A few feet from the entrance the small boy collapsed face first into the fresh snow. He struggled fruitlessly to get back on his feet. The last of his strength was used to push his head to the side so that the snow would not suffocate him. His breathing was labored, his fingers growing numb in the blinding cold that surrounded him.

Muffled footsteps came from behind him, kicking up the feathery blanket of snow.

"Get up, Soujiro," a gruff voice called out.

All Soujiro could manage was a grunt in reply. A twitch of his arm was the only response that he got when he tried to move it.

A strong hand reached out and pulled him out of the snow. The man threw him over his shoulder like a sack of rice.

"Soujiro, don't ever leave again even if they tell you to." Soujiro recognized the voice, flinching at the harsh tone. "We can't have you running off. What would the neighbors think?"

He tried to respond to that but his vision blurred, then darkness filled his eyes and mind…

Soujiro woke up with a start, fully expecting to wake up in the rice shed, but he was in another place that he had abandoned.

He left the bed to change into a clean set of clothes, and then set out to look for his travel bag that he could carry some more items in. He stuffed the extra clothes into the bag then bound the top of it. He tucked his sword into his belt and tied his wallet on the other side.

With one last look, Soujiro left.

Yumi didn't think about rest when she entered her room, she, instead, prepared herself a bath. She lit the scented candles that lined the edges of the tub that was set into the ground. Soon, with the western styled plumbing she had hot water in the tub. She let slid her kimono from her tense muscles then slipped into the water. The water soaked into her, relaxing her like sleep could not. She removed her hairpiece, shaking her head slightly so that her hair would come undone.

The aroma from the candles slowly lulled peace into her mind, letting her think clearly.

She slowly but thoroughly cleaned herself, as if she were cleansing away her worries.

She massaged into her scalp her perfumed shampoo, the one that smelt of sweet nectar. She relaxed, leaning her head against the side of the tub letting the shampoo soak in, looking up to the ceiling. She would have to get out soon, she knew. Relaxation was a luxury she could not afford at the moment. She allowed herself a few more minute of the therapeutic aroma of the scented candles before plunging her body into the warm water, rinsing herself of soap.

The soft churning of the water was the only indication that she had slipped out, her damp hair heavy against her exposed skin. She dripped past the candles to the towel rack, pulling one off to dry herself off.

It was sometimes unnecessary for her to do this menial task when she bathed with her Lord Shishio. His hot body temperature would heat the bath, also causing it to evaporate. When they would climb out of the tub they had shared, she would cling to his naked body and he to hers.

Yumi sighed as she toweled herself dry, she would have to stop thinking about that sort of stuff, no use dwelling in the past. Flicking her hair over her shoulder, Yumi put on a robe and went to her room, which was connected to the bathroom through a door.

Yumi dressed into her most comfortable kimono then left her room to go check on the inert Shishio in his own room. Hesitating at outside, starring at the doorknob before regaining her confidence and then strode into the room. A small smell hit her, a putrid smell but it was faint it might not be noticeable to someone not looking for it. This particular smell brought forth unwanted memories that she forcible pushed back.

The door creaked. Yumi looked over her shoulder to find the most unlikely person ever. Uonuma Usui was standing in the doorway with one of his smirks, his hand held the white cloth that covered his eyes up so that one of his scared eyes peeped out. Yumi shivered involuntarily. Usui had always given her the creeps attacking Lord Shishio all the time, trying to kill him.

"Yumi," he said through his smirk.

Yumi couldn't help the dirty look she gave him, the man got on her nerves more often than not. "What are you doing here Usui? Shouldn't you be waiting in the-"

"I was told that I could attack Lord Shis-"

"As you can tell, Lord Shishio is not here." Yumi smiled, _two can play at that game_. "Is there a reason that you are still here?"

Usui sniffed as if she had hurt him, "Nervous Yumi? What would _you_ have to be nervous about?" Usui smiled at his sudden leap ahead, he won that little battle. "My minds eye sees all, you shift in that kimono of yours." Usui pointed to an eye that adorned his eye band.

"Whatever are you talking about? You take me too lightly Usui," Yumi walked past him that moved to the side, turned to wait for him to follow, but he didn't follow. He stood rooted in the doorway, peering into Lord Shishio's room as if yesterday' scene was still pained across the room. Yumi had been careful to remove all and any blood she saw, but that didn't guarantee that all was gone. Nor did it guarantee that the smell of the blood wasn't still thick in the room.

Usui turned to Yumi, a thoughtful look about the set of his mouth. He was facing her way, not exactly starring at her, but studying her nonetheless. An all-knowing smile graced his lips, sending shivers down Yumi's spine. She decided she did not want to play his games anymore.

She gave him a cold stare that matched her cold shivers. "If you are done, Usui, I have many things to be doing."

Usui was left with his mouth open, his comment useless if said to the woman's back.

Yumi decided that she hadn't handled herself with the grace that she normally did, but under the circumstances she had done better than she had thought. Usui seemed to know something that he wouldn't tell her.

_'Might he have figured something out about Lord Shishio?'_ Yumi considered.

She shook her head to rid herself of those thoughts, they would only lead to her more stress than she could handle at a time.

The hallway was a blur; she didn't pay attention to where she was going she just wanted to get away from Usui and his silent accusations. Which didn't help the growing feeling of guilt deep within the pit of her gut.

Yumi stood outside of Houji's study thinking of how she could tell him. It would be easier to control him if it was her that told him about Lord Shishio then if Kamatari did. Houji was valuable. It might have been wiser if she had told him from the start instead of the hotheaded man that she had told.

Smiling encouragement to herself, Yumi nudged open the door.

"Yumi."

The unexpected voice of Houji behind startled Yumi. She turned quickly but tried to hide it with a generous smile.

"Ah, hello Houji, I was just coming to see you."

He eyed her, "I can see." Houji was wearing his normal garb. His western suit was a green a couple shades darker than Yumi's lipstick. "I was wondering if you know what Lord Shishio requested Soujiro do."

"Excuse me?" Yumi hid herself behind marble eyes.

"I don't mean that I want to _know _what Soujiro was doing for Lord Shishio, but where he went." There was a nervousness about his voice, as if Yumi would accuse him of plotting against Lord Shishio. She smiled at it. He must have taken it the wrong way, "well, he came back in a sorry state. His clothes looked like he had gone through a lot, he seemed weary."

"What?" Yumi lunged forward, catching Houji's arm in a tight grip. "Soujiro is here? Where? Where did you see him?"

Houji's wide-eyed stare did nothing to promote caution in Yumi. "Why?"

Houji was relieved when she let go over his arm but was soon to fall to the confusion when she hiked up her kimono around her knees and took off running. Never had he seen her move faster than walk.

Houji took off after Yumi in hopes to find the reason to her uncharacteristic behavior.

Kamatari sat slouched in a chair, one in a pair that sat at a small round table set to the side of the fireplace in the room he sported when he was in. 

He felt useless. There was nothing he could do which bothered him. He sighed limply.

Kamatari poured himself another glasses of one of the strong drinks he kept in the room. He had grabbed a couple of bottles not caring how strong they were, and hopping that they were strong enough to calm him. The rim of the glass was wet from his lips. His finger circled around the rim as his mind did circles.

The sound of glass smashing against the wall broke him out of his chaotic reverie. The room was no different then before.

A warm and wet sensation trickled down his stinging hand.

Sometime during his deliberations he had gripped the glass cup, tightening it to the cups limitations until it cracked. A shard of glass had ripped open his palm. Among the drink was his crimson blood.

Kamatari shook his hand of the alcohol and glass. He found some bandages. Fixing up his hand the strangest thought came to him.

_How will I be able to wield my chain-scythe?_

The bandaging on his right hand would limit its flexibility. The state of the wound would give him pause to use anything bigger than chopsticks for a few weeks, if not a month.

He knew he shouldn't have been so careless and he berated himself for the weakness. _How will he answer the call to arms if he couldn't wield his scythe, how will he support Yumi, Lord Shishio, if he is wounded? _He wanted to slam his hand down, he wanted to bite off the infirmity, he wanted to rage, he wanted his ire to bring Soujiro to heel before himself. He wanted Soujiro to fell and bend to his will.

What he _needs_ is to calm down.

The glass and drink still lay on the table as if to taunt him, saying that he could do nothing right even for his lord and love.

Kamatari laughed at that, at still being able to say, even if it was to himself, that he loved Shishio. He had been drawn to him, at first, by his swordsmanship. His strength. Then was lured even further by his impressive will, his will to live even with the bastards that had burned him alive ruled the country. The man, Makato Shishio, was burned alive by his comrades, then shot in the forehead and left for dead. This had been what immortalized him for Kamatari.

A soft sigh whistled through Kamatari's clenched jaw, he always became unreasonably angry when he thought too long of Soujiro or the problem at hand which had been often.

The wooded table had mostly absorbed the drink. It would soon stain if he didn't do anything about it. He sighed, exhaling through his nose, his mouth being covered by his bandaged hand. He didn't want to fix it yet. To many things that need fixing and no one qualified to do it.

Kamatari turned on his heel, his blue Kimono with an intricate red-orange design on at the hem twirling around his legs as he left his room to wander the corridors. His right hand was clutched firmly to his chest, pressing into the kimono, his head down with his bangs shadowing his eyes. An involuntary shudder passed through his tense body.

He stopped, leaning back against the wall to slow down his increasing heart rate. His mind was jittery. _Nervousness_, _doubt_, what is he going to do? He slowed his breathing down to its normal rate, the depression that had so suddenly taken hold left as quickly as it had settled onto his mind.

He was thankful that the corridor remained empty, and praying to Buddha and any other god out there that it remained that way. He let out a deep breath, continuing to slow down his breathing to a meditative state. His face laced with sadness turned to look down the corridor as constricts that had entered deep within himself loosened. Kamatari closed his eyes knowing fully that he looked pitiful, a proud member of the Juppon-gatana cowering like a child for all to see.

He tilted his head up, breathing in deeply then pushed off the wall continuing walking. His feet held his up despite them shaking and threatening to bend at each step. Voices floated to his ears from the end of the corridor where it branched to three others, he was at another intersection. He took the one that was silent, not trusting himself near others yet. His knees still wobbled.

His feet where silent on the soft carpet that adorned this branch of walkways, there were tables across from each other with a vase with flowers in them ever so often across the corridor that Kamatari is now in. He stopped to admire the flowers in one vase long enough to smell them. His jitteriness evaporated at every step, until it left him as if it had never came, no traces of it left but the memory.

Up ahead was another intersection, a three-way intersection, the candles dimmed as the corridor went directly ahead, to the right there it seemed to be lit but Kamatari couldn't tell if it was brighter or not. The decision was made as he made his way to the right of the hallway he's in. The closer he got the brighter the hallway seemed. The gloomy hallway that was straight ahead would just due to dampen his spirits again. He rounded the corner to run smack into someone smaller than himself, he stumbled forward, the other person stumbling into him.

Kamatari's hands rested on the shorter man's shoulder his head to the side of the other's head, and the man's hands got a hold on the excess material of Kamatari's kimono that hung around his waist. "I'm so sorry, I was not looking where I was going." Kamatari slowly pulled himself away making sure that he would stand upright, his hands trailed down the shoulder's to hold onto the hands of the man he had walked into to make sure he too would not fall. He eyes took in the brown hair, to the youthful face that looked just as startled as Kamatari felt. Kamatari wasn't just startled at almost knocking him over.

Soujiro stood before him, looking for all the world like he did before. Nothing had changed about him, but then again, why should there be?

Kamatari drew back starring at him, wondering what foul trick of the gods this was. He was wounded, didn't have a weapon and even if he did he wouldn't be able to use it with his right hand bandaged as it is. They stared at each other. Kamatari tried to keep his face impassive until he knew what to do but sooner or later, he knew, the anger in him would crack his face and resolve.

To the side he noticed another of those tables with the vase of flowers on them. It's within arm's reach. Kamatari's hand shot out like a snake, wrapped around the vase and brought it to the empty space where the boy had been, flowers and water trailing behind the arc of the attack.

A kick to his back added to the precarious lunge sent him sprawling to the floor. He landed on his face, the vase smashing into the carpet a few inches from his face.

"So you know," came a deathly calm voice from behind him. Soujiro didn't stand still, the vibration of his light steps telling Kamatari that he was leaving.

Kamatari pushed himself up on shaky arms. He never was good at on the spot situations and this just went to prove that they would need someone else to help them fight, some one that was a hell of a lot stronger than he is. Someone strong enough to compensate for Soujiro's speed.

Kamatari brought his hand up to wipe the blood from his chin.

_tbc.._


End file.
